No road trip would be complete without some good books to help the miles pass by. Here are some books our family enjoyed the last couple weeks during our travels and while relaxing in Colorado:

Fodor’s Essential USA, 1st Edition: Spectacular Cities, Natural Wonders, and Great American Road Trips. Though this travel guide covers all 50 states, it was a great reference for the 6 states we traveled through. Some of our decisions on what attractions to visit came right out of this book. One feature I really liked was the suggested itinerary, depending on how many days you would be in an area: one day, two days, or even up to a whole week. While far from exhaustive, it’s a great overview of our country’s natural wonders and man-made attractions.

Frommer’s Colorado. This book helped us navigate the Colorado Springs and Denver area during our stay with my parents, and during our two day retreat in Monument/Denver.

Russell Hitt, Sensei: The Life Story of Irene Webster-Smith. Natalie read this to me in the car on several of our travel days. A well-written story about a bold missionary to the young geisha girls of Japan in the early 20th century. We’re about half way through the book.

C.J. Mahaney (ed.), Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World. A wake-up call to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts in areas like media, music, clothing, materialism. I especially enjoyed Jeff Purswell’s chapter on how we should love the world. Natalie noted this was a very appropriate book to be reading as we drove through Vegas.

Alva McClain, Greatness of the Kingdom. I’ve just begun reading this book in preparation for an upcoming series I will be preaching on the kingdom of God. McClain is clear and balanced. It’s an excellent biblical theology on the complex subject of the kingdom of God.

Douglas Wilson, Future Men. This was a though-provoking guide on training up boys and young men in biblical masculinity. Drawing heavily from the Proverbs, his observations of our culture, and his own experience as a father, Wilson gives much fresh and practical teaching on the subject.

Ron Fontes and Justine Korman, Davy Crockett Meets Death Hug. Speaking of raising future men, here’s a great book we’re reading with our son Dylan about Davy Crockett and his friend Georgie hunting a ferocious bear.

Arnold Lobel, Frog and Toad Together. A collection of well-illustrated short stories about Toad and his adventures with Mr. Frog.

Elizabeth Prentiss, Stepping Heavenward. Natalie started reading this on the trip, so I asked her to write a description [she apologizes for making it so long, but she highly recommends the book!]. Written by the author of the beloved hymn, More Love to Thee, O Christ, this fictional “diary” is the account of young Katherine’s journey toward Christlikeness. Through it all, we are pointed to love Christ more as we follow our new friend on her journey heavenward. It takes us though Katy’s teenage years during which she struggles to understand if she truly loves Christ as her Savior. We watch as she strives to overcome her daily sinfulness, finally realizing that just as Christ saved her, only He can grant Katy holiness. We listen in as she shares her frustrations with a path God has given her and the mentors who point her to the good God may have even during times of great trials. For example, Mrs. Campbell (who has outlived her husband and children, and now endures great physical suffering) tells Katy the following on page 212:

“I was bound to my God and Savior before I knew a sorrow, it is true. But it was by a chain of many links; and every link that dropped away brought me to Him till at last, having nothing left, I was shut up to Him and learned fully what I had only learned partially, how soul-satisfying He is.”

“You think then,”I said while my heart died within me, “that husband and children are obstacles in our way and hinder our getting near to Christ?”

“Oh, no!” she cried. “God never gives us hindrances. On the contrary, He means, in making us wives and mothers, to put us into the very conditions of holy living. But if we abuse His gifts by letting them take His place in our hearts, it is an act of love on His part to take them away or to destroy our pleasure in them. It is delightful,” she added after a pause, “to know that there are some generous souls on earth who love their dear ones with all their hearts yet give those hearts unreservedly to Christ. Mine was not one of them.”